Evaluation of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices for Hepatitis B Virus Infection Among Primary Healthcare Physicians in Georgia.

A nationwide serosurvey among adults in 2021 showed a 2.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.3%-3.

Assessment of Viral and Clinical Characteristics Among Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Georgia.

Background: Hepatitis B virus infection (HBV) is one of the major healthcare problems in Georgia. To achieve viral hepatitis elimination, gaps in diagnosis and management of chronic HBV infection need to be addressed. The aim of our study was to collect data on clinical and viral characteristics of patients with chronic HBV infection to estimate the proportion of patients who may need antiviral treatment.

Additional evidence on the phenotype produced by combination of 1677delTA alleles and their relevance in causing CFTR-related disease.

Cystic fibrosis is the most common, life-threatening, autosomal recessive disease in the Caucasian population. It is caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene, which encodes a chloride ion channel expressed on the surface of epithelial cells. There are more than 2000 variants of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene reported worldwide.

DISTRIBUTION OF HBV GENOTYPES AMONG GEORGIAN PATIENTS OF DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the major healthcare problems in Georgia with a prevalence of 2.9% in the adult population. There is no published data on HBV genotype distribution among different age groups in the country.

CLINICAL PHASES OF CHRONIC HEPATITIS B AMONG GEORGIAN PATIENTS.

Hepatitis B virus infection remains one of the major healthcare problems in Georgia with an exposure prevalence of 25.9% (Positive Anti-HBc) and chronic HBV infection (Positive HBsAg) 2.9%.

Clinical, neuroradiological, and molecular characterization of patients with atypical Zellweger spectrum disorder caused by PEX16 mutations: a case series.

Peroxisome biogenesis disorders-Zellweger spectrum disorders (PBD-ZSD)-are primarily autosomal recessive disorders caused by mutations in any of 13 PEX genes involved in peroxisome assembly. Compared to other PEX-related disorders, some PEX16 defects are associated with an atypical phenotype consisting of spasticity, cerebellar dysfunction, preserved cognition, and prolonged survival. In this case series, medical records and brain MRIs from 7 patients with this PEX16 presentation were reviewed to further characterize this phenotype.

Intrahepatic Cholestasis Is a Clinically Significant Feature Associated with Natural History of X-Linked Myotubular Myopathy (XLMTM): A Case Series and Biopsy Report.

X-linked myotubular myopathy (XLMTM) is a rare, life-threatening congenital myopathy characterized by profound skeletal muscle weakness, respiratory distress, and motor dysfunction. However, pathology is not limited to muscle and can be associated with life-threatening hepatic peliosis. Hepatobiliary disease has been reported in up to 17% of XLMTM patients but has not been extensively characterized.

Assessment of treatment options for patients with hepatitis C virus recombinant form 2k/1b.

Aim: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) intergenotype recombinant form (RF) 2k/1b has been actively circulating in HCV-infected patients, and the prevalence of this RF virus in the Republic of Georgia is one of the highest reported worldwide. The aim of this study was to define the optimal treatment regimen for patients with RF_2k/1b.

Methods: We analyzed the data of 2735 patients who started treatment at the Medical Center Mrcheveli within Georgia's hepatitis C elimination program from May 2015 through December 2019.

Screening and linkage to care for hepatitis C among inpatients in Georgia's national hospital screening program.

The country of Georgia initiated an ambitious national hepatitis C elimination program. To facilitate elimination, a national hospital hepatitis C screening program was launched in November 2016, offering all inpatients screening for HCV infection. This analysis assesses the effectiveness of the first year of the screening program to identify HCV-infected persons and link them to care.

Treatment outcomes of patients with chronic hepatitis C receiving sofosbuvir-based combination therapy within national hepatitis C elimination program in the country of Georgia.

Background: Georgia has one of the highest HCV prevalence in the world and launched the world's first national HCV elimination programs in 2015. Georgia set the ambitious target of diagnosing 90% of people living with HCV, treating 95% of those diagnosed and curing 95% of treated patients by 2020. We report outcomes of Sofosbuvir (SOF) based treatment regimens in patients with chronic HCV infection in Georgia.

Interim effect evaluation of the hepatitis C elimination programme in Georgia: a modelling study.

Background: Georgia has a high prevalence of hepatitis C, with 5·4% of adults chronically infected. On April 28, 2015, Georgia launched a national programme to eliminate hepatitis C by 2020 (90% reduction in prevalence) through scaled-up treatment and prevention interventions. We evaluated the interim effect of the programme and feasibility of achieving the elimination goal.

Progress and challenges of a pioneering hepatitis C elimination program in the country of Georgia.

Background & Aims: Georgia, with a high prevalence of HCV infection, launched the world's first national hepatitis C elimination program in April 2015. A key strategy is the identification, treatment, and cure of the estimated 150,000 HCV-infected people living in the country. We report on progress and key challenges from Georgia's experience.

Three Years of Progress Toward Achieving Hepatitis C Elimination in the Country of Georgia, April 2015-March 2018.

Background: In April 2015, in collaboration with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Gilead Sciences, the country of Georgia embarked on the world's first hepatitis C elimination program. We aimed to assess progress toward elimination targets 3 years after the start of the elimination program.

Methods: We constructed a hepatitis C virus (HCV) care cascade for adults in Georgia, based on the estimated 150 000 persons aged ≥18 years with active HCV infection.

Identification of hepatitis C virus 2k/1b intergenotypic recombinants in Georgia.

Background And Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of the hepatitis C virus intergenotype recombinant strain RF1_2k/1b in Georgia, confirm viral recombination by full genome sequencing, and determine a genetic relationship with previously described recombinant hepatitis C viruses.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed data from 1421 Georgian patients with chronic hepatitis C. Genotyping was performed with the INNO-LiPA VERSANT HCV Genotype 2.

The histidine-loop is essential for transport activity of human MDR3. A novel mutation of MDR3 in a patient with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 3.

Experimental evidence has been provided that a histidine-loop within the nucleotide binding domain of ABC transporter is essential for efficient function of this class of transporter proteins. Here we report the first patient with a mutation of the putative histidine-loop of a human ABC transporter, the multi drug resistance protein 3 (MDR3). The patient presented at the age of 4 years with a history of severe pruritus, elevated serum gamma-glutamyltransferase and bile acid levels since several years suggesting the diagnosis of progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 3 (PFIC-3) due to defects in MDR3.